Bottom dump hopper barge



Feb. 6, 1968 R. A. JESSUP v BOTTOM DUMP HOPPER BARGE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Aug. 25, 1966 wm mm Feb. 6, 1968 R. A. JESSUP 3,367,298

BOTTOM DUMP HOPPER BARGE Filed Aug. 25, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG .4

Bf @(Wy United States Patent 3,367,298 BOTTOM DUMP HOPPER BARGE RaymondA. Jessup, Killara, New South Wales, Australia, assignor to DredgingIndustries (Aust.) Pty. Limited, Killara, New South Wales, Australia, acompany of Australia Filed Aug. 25,1966, Ser. No. 575,137 Claimspriority, application Australia, Aug. 25, 1965, 63,217/ 65 7 Claims.(Cl. 114-36) This invention has been devised to provide a bottom dumphopper barge which experiments have shown will have a greater factor ofsafety and greater structural stability than such barges as constructedhitherto. In addition the bottom dump barge of this invention can bebuilt more economically than barges of the same capacity as constructedhitherto. Other advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription.

Basically this bottom dump hopper barge comprises at least two tubularpontoons supported in spaced relationship-to constitute the sides of thebargeby a bow structure, a stern structure and at least two transversehollow bulkheads. The bottom of the barge is formed of bottom wallplates fixed longitudinally to the pontoons and to the bow and sternstructures and at least two tubular door members hinged to structuralmembers in juxtaposition to the bottom wall plates. At least twohydraulic units mounted in the bulkheads are operatively connected tothe door members. A coaming structure is fixed to the pontoons and bowand stern structures.

A presently preferred embodiment of the invention is described withreference to the annexed drawings, where- FIGURE 1 is a perspective viewof the barge; FIGURE 2 is a deck plan;

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal section on plane 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURES 4 and 5 are transverse sections on the planes 4--4 and 55respectively, of FIGURE 2.

In this embodiment two cylindrical pontoons 1 are used to form the sidesof the barge. They have their ends angled as at 2 to constitute acutwater like prow at the bow and at the stern. A bow structure and astern structure 3 joining the pontoons are both angled in the samemanner, and are made as watertight compartments. There is a decking 4 onthe bow structure and on the stern structure. Each decking extends toand is fixed to fore and aft trans verse end coamings 5, respectively.

The coamings 5 are fixed to side coamings 6. The coamings 6 are made oftwo plates welded together longitudinally at an acute angle with onelimb 7 shorter than the other limb 8. The short limbs 7 of the coamings6 are fixed to the respective pontoons 1 at or adjacent the verticalline thereof (see FIGURES 4 and 5) and the long limbs 8 are fixed to thepontoons 1 on the inner sides of the hull. The end coamings 5 are alsomade of two plates welded together longitudinally at an acute angle withthe limbs of equal length; they are additionally fixed to end hollowbulkheads 9 which latter, with an inwardly set plate 4a forming part ofthe bow and stern structures 3, and with the decking 4 on the bow andstern structures, seal oif the bow and stern parts from the fore and afthoppers 10 and constitute parts of the bow and stern structures.Additional hollow bulkheads 11 and 12 form the inner ends of the hoppers10 and with a further hollow bulkhead 13 divide the remaining holdstructure into hoppers 15 and 16.

The bottom wall plates 17 are formed as acute angled members each with ashort limb 18 and a long limb 19. The short limbs 18 are fixed to thepontoons 1 below the horizontal centre lines thereof and projectinwardly substantially horizontally. The long limbs 19 are fixed to thepontoons 1 preferably above the horizontal centre line and form with thelong limbs 8 of the coaming and the parts 20 of the respective pontoonsbetween them, sloping side walls of the hoppers 10, 15, 16.

The door structure consists of two tubes 21 or in the case of longbarges several sets of two tubes in axial alignment.

Each tube 21 has swing arms 22 fixed, one on each end thereof, and theseswing arms are mounted on journal pins 23 fixed in the respectivebulkheads in a position to permit the tubes 21 to meet in door closedposition and to swing under the long limbs 18 of the bottom wall plates17 in door open position and clear of the opening thus provided betweenthe bottom wall plates 17. Each tube 21 has an angle plate 24 fixedlongitudinally thereon to form, when the door is closed, a seal againstthe respective bottom wall plates 17.

The tubes 21 are moved to open and closed position by crank arms 25,fixed one on each end thereof and adjoining crank arms on the respectivetubes are connected in pairs by links 26 to a swinging cross head 27mounted on the plunger rod 28 of a hydraulic cylinder 29 supported onstructural members, such as columns 30 fixed to the respectivebulkheads. The hydraulic cylinder units are located in the bulkheads.There is one hydraulic unit 28- 29 in each of the bulkheads 9, and twoin each of the intermediate bulkheads.

The hydraulic units 28-29 are connected by hydraulic circuits to apumping mechanism accommodated in an engine house 31 on the decking 4.The pumping mechanism includes a pressure accumulator and a regulatoradapted to maintain a determined pressure in the hydraulic circuits. Thecircuits are arranged so that the doors are held in closed position byhydraulic power and also so that the doors of each hopper can beoperated inde pendently or in unison. Manual and radio remote controlapparatus (not shown) is incorporated so that the doors can be operatedfrom a boat to which the barge is connected.

For those barges adapted for loading by pumping equipment a loading ductor pipe 32 is incorporated. It is located longitudinally and centrallyof the hopper and from a high point amidship it slopes downwardly toeach end. At the high point a funnel-like socket 33 is incorporated toreceive a delivery pipe. Outlets 34 are formed throughout its length injuxtaposition to the respective hoppers. Conventional bollards, catwalksand manholes are incorporated as well as rubbing strakes on thepontoons.

I claim:

1. A bottom dump hopper barge comprising at least two tubular pontoonssupported in spaced relation ship--to constitute the sides of thebarge-by a bow structure, a stern structure and at least two hollowbulkheads; the bottom of the barge being formed of bottom wall platesfixed longitudinally to the pontoons and to the bow and stem structuresand at least two tubular door members hinged to structural members injuxtaposition to the bottom wall plates; at least tWo hydraulic unitsmounted in the hollow bulkheads and operatively connected to the doormembers; a coaming structure fixed to the pontoons and to the bow andstern structures.

2. A bottom dump hopper barge as claimed in claim 1, wherein thepontoons have their ends angled to constitute a cutwater like prow atthe bow and at the stern and the bow structure and the stern structuresare angled in the same manner and the bow structure and the sternstructure each incorporate a decking which extends to and is fixed tofore and aft transverse coamings respectively.

3. A bottom dump hopper barge as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the bottom wall plates are formed as acute angled members withone limb shorter than the other, said short limbs being fixed to therespective pontoons below the horizontal centre line thereof and projectinwardly substantially horizontally, said long limbs being fixed to therespective pontoons preferably above the horizontal centre line thereofand form with the long limbs of the coarning and parts of the respectivepontoons sloping side walls of hoppers.

4. A bottom dump hopper barge as claimed in claim 1, wherein eachtubular door member has a swing (hinge) arm fixed one on each endthereof, said swing arms being mounted on journal pins fixed inbulkheads in a position to permit the tubes to meet in door closedposition and to swing under the respective bottom wall plates in dooropen position.

5. A bottom dump hopper barge as claimed in claim 4, wherein eachtubular door member has a crank arm fixed one on each end thereof andadjoining crank arms on respective door members are connected in pairsby links to a swinging cross head mounted on the plunger rod of ahydraulic cylinder fixed to a support column, the several hydrauliccylinder units being located in the bulkheads.

6. A bottom dump hopper barge as claimed in claim 5, wherein thehydraulic units are connected by hydraulic circuits to a pumpingmechanism accommodated in an engine house on the barge, the pumpingmechanism including a pressure accumulator and a regulator adapted tomaintain a determined pressure in the hydraulic circuits, said circuitsbeing arranged so that the doors are held in closed position byhydraulic power and so that the doors of each hopper can be operatedindependently or in unison.

7. A bottom dump hopper barge comprising-two tubular pontoons joinedtogether in parallel spaced relationship, by a bow structure, a sternstructure and at least two hollow bulkheads, said bow and sternstructures beiwg watertight compartments, the bottom of the barge beingformed of bottom wall plates and at least two tubular door membershinged to structural members in juxtaposition to the bottom wall plates,said bottom wall plates being acute angled members fixed longitudinallyto the pontoons and to the bow and stern structures, coamings made asacute angled members fixed to the pontoons and the bow and sternstructures, parts of said coamings, parts of said bottom wall plates andthe parts of the respective pontoons between them forming sloping sidewalls of the barge hopper, at least two hydraulic units mounted in thehollow bulkheads and operatively connected to the door members.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,217,682 11/1965 Christianson1l436 FOREIGN PATENTS 870,216. 6/1961 Great Britain.

MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner.

T. MAJOR, Assistant Examiner.

1. A BOTTOM DUMP HOPPER BARGE COMPRISING AT LEAST TWO TUBULAR PONTOONSSUPPORTED IN SPACED RELATIONSHIP-TO CONSTITUTE THE SIDES OF THE BARGE-BYA BOW STRUCTURE, A STERN STRUCTURE AND AT LEAST TWO HOLLOW BULK HEADS;THE BOTTOM OF THE BARGE BEING FORMED OF BOTTOM WALL PLATES FIXEDLONGITUDINALLY TO THE PONTOONS AND TO THE BOW AND STERN STRUCTURES ANDAT LEAST TWO TUBULAR DOOR MEMBERS HINGED TO STRUCTURAL MEMBERS INJUXTAPOSITION TO THE BOTTOM WALL PLATES; AT LEAST TWO HYDRAULIC UNITSMOUNTED IN THE HOLLOW BULKHEADS AND OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO THE DOORMEMBERS; A COAMING STRUCTURE FIXED TO THE PONTOONS AND TO THE BOW ANDSTERN STRUCTURES.